Backpacking with dogs

[bobby49]

I went out for a couple of nights into the Emigrant Wilderness with Lucy the Border Collie. Since I didn't know how cold it might get at night, I carried in one fluffy dog blanket that she had used before, plus a piece of foam padding to sleep on. For the first night, I couldn't get the silly dog to come inside my tent. I had intended for her to be my footwarmer. It was cooler on the second night. She started sleeping outside the door to the tent, but when it got cool enough I suddenly felt this warm furry thing cuddling up next to me. She did not seem to want to use the dog blanket at all.

Still, I am trying to think of the dog. Maybe a synthetic towel would work good for that?

So far, Lucy is turning out to be a good trail dog. She never gets too far ahead or too far behind. This is the first trip when I've let her go off-leash. She takes her time when there is some sage along the trail that she needs to sniff.

[LightBulb]

I've never been able to get my dog to use a blanket. She just doesn't seem to get it. When it gets cold she curls up on my sleeping mat next to me.

Luckily she has a lot of snow dog in her so I'm never too worried. Falling into the ocean is the only time I've felt her shiver.

[LightBulb]

Oh, How did Lucy's paws do there? My dog normally doesn't wear boots but I'm heading to Emigrant today and am I little worried about all the granite wearing her pads down.

[bobby49]

My dog is mostly a city dog, so her paws probably are not as tough as a country dog's. I have dog boots for her, and she carries those in her saddlebags. If I see the trail has lots of sharp granite, then the boots will probably go on. This week, the trail was a dusty pack trail, so the horse hooves had worn down all of the sharp edges. The next trip will likely to be different.

Lucy managed to get some pine sap on her legs, so she has spent a lot of time licking and chewing at that to get herself cleaned up.

[Wandering Daisy]

Because of the pine sap plus all sorts of other gunk or a wet dog in the tent, I take a light outer cover for my sleeping bag so it stays clean. My border collie is a long haired version (called a "rough") so she picks up all sorts of dirt and stickers. Tree sap is the worst.

Glad to hear Lucy is becoming a good backpacking dog.